Employers
The perfect location to grow your business
Moray is located between Scotland’s oil capital Aberdeen and the Highlands’ capital city, Inverness, with easy access to rail, road and international airport links. Inverness Airport is only 35 minutes from Elgin, the Commercial and Administrative Capital of Moray, while Aberdeen Airport is no more than a 90-minute drive.
The broad range of high-quality infrastructure across the region means there is loads of room to grow your business:
The Enterprise Park Forres, Moray’s premier business location offers an excellent working environment, with a range of high-quality business units and land development opportunities. It spans over 100 acres of land and has a wide range of high quality, flexible business space. It is also home to Horizon Scotland, a unique business centre, which can be rented for events of up to 80 delegates. The space was designed to facilitate collaboration and encourage innovation, and is the perfect setting for AGMs, training days or seminars.
The park was developed by the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, who have excellent expertise and resources available to help employers to grow local businesses in a supportive and collaborative environment.
- Find out more about the Enterprise Park at www.enterpriseparkforres.co.uk
- Find out more about the Horizon Scotland at www.enterpriseparkforres.co.uk/events-space/
- The Moray Council also has a range of property across Moray including Buckie Harbour.
- Moray offers high levels of broadband connectivity, meeting your worldwide online requirements.
To find out more about businesses in Moray, visit:
Global recognition
Food and drink made in Moray is exported across the world. Industry leaders such as Associated Seafoods, the Baxters Food Group and Walkers shortbread are located in Moray as well as over half the distilleries in Scotland including many world-famous brands such as Macallan, Benromach, Cardhu and The Glenlivet. Indeed, it is estimated that over thirty million litres of whisky travel south down the A95 every year, making Moray an undeniable major contributor to Scotland’s food exports and the UK’s tax revenues.
But Moray is not just a centre for food and drink. Cashmere and fine woollens specialist Johnstons of Elgin established in 1797 and major construction firms such as Robertson Group and Springfield Homes, as well as the internationally renowned engineering firm Forsyths, have their roots in Moray.
More recently, Moray has become home to innovative tech companies, such as Orbex, who opened a rocket design facility in Forres, or the ground-breaking digital healthcare and life science initiatives which are rapidly developing in the area.
While the products made in Moray are exported across the world it’s generally been true to say that when the company starts in Moray, it usually stays in Moray.
With around 300 new businesses starting in Moray each year, it’s the perfect place to bring your business
vision to life.
Last year, 128 new businesses in Moray were assisted by Business Gateway, creating 186 full-time equivalent jobs. 86% of businesses that received this help in the past 3 years are still trading, which is 16% higher than the national average. With a well-educated workforce, organisations in Moray benefit from low staff turnover and high retention rates. It was also recently
found to be a hotspot for female entrepreneurs with a higher share of women who work for themselves than any other mainland Scottish local authority area. More than one in 10 (10.5%) working-age females in Moray are self-employed. Anybody looking to start their own business in Moray can find support at Business Gateway Moray.
Currently, around 73% of the working age population in Moray is in employment, a figure similar to the Scottish average. Moray is a powerhouse with a strong manufacturing base, and double the numbers of skilled trades jobs than Scotland as a whole.
- Just under 11% of Moray’s workforce work in food and drink manufacturing, compared to the Scottish average of 1.7%, with 8.7% of everyone employed in food and drink manufacturing in Scotland working in Moray
- Over 8,000 people are currently employed in engineering disciplines (excluding the RAF) including manufacturing, construction
and utilities - 17.1% of Moray’s workforce is in manufacturing, compared to the Scottish average of 7.4%
- 10% of Moray’s workforce is employed within the tourism industry
- The health sector also employs 5,000 people in the area which is 14% of total employment in the area
With the British Army based at Kinloss Barracks and the RAF base at Lossiemouth, Moray has a large Armed Forces population of serving members and their families, and veterans who have settled here. Their valuable skills enhance and contribute greatly to the benefit of Moray’s local economy. A dedicated website supports all members of the Armed Forces community whether they are regular, reserve or ex-service and their families under the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. It provides a source of information in one place to help
our Armed Forces community whether they are moving here for the first time or are already settled in the area.
For more information visit: www.armedforcesmorayandhighland.co.uk
Just under 11% of Moray’s workforce work in food and drink manufacturing, compared to the Scottish average of 1.7%, with 8.7% of everyone employed in food and drink manufacturing in Scotland working in Moray.
Skills in Moray
Moray yields a strong manufacturing base and double the number of skilled trades jobs than in Scotland as a whole.
- Over 8,000 people are currently employed in engineering disciplines (excluding the RAF) including manufacturing, construction and utilities
- 17.1% of Moray’s workforce is in manufacturing, compared to the Scottish average of 7.4%
- 10% of Moray’s workforce is employed within the tourism industry
- The health sector also employs 5,000 people in the area which is 14% of total employment in Moray
Moray has a strong educational base and there are eight secondary schools. Over 90% of leavers go on to further or higher education or to gain employment.
Moray College is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and has over 8,000 enrolled students. The college is gaining significant international recognition and is continuing to grow steadily. Find out more here: https://www.moray.uhi.ac.uk/
